The present invention is directed to a method of packaging a polymer precursor composition, and a method of making a polymer from the polymer precursor composition. The present invention is further directed to packaged polymer precursor compositions.
Much effort has been directed at improving the light stability of polymers, such as polyamides. One method of improving the light stability of polymers is to incorporate one or more components into the polymer structure, wherein the one or more components comprise a light-stabilizing moiety. When present in the polymer chain of the resulting polymer, the light-stabilizing moiety provides enhanced light stability to the polymer. For example, nylon and nylon fibers formed by the polymerization of caprolactam in the presence of a hindered piperidine compound, such as 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TAD), exhibit improved light stability due to the light-stabilizing TAD moiety as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,851,238; 6,136,433; and 6,150,496, all of which are assigned to BASF Corporation, Mt. Olive, N.J., the entirety of all of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Typically, once a combination of polymer-producing components is found to produce a desired polymer, the combination of polymer-producing components is used over and over. The individual components used to produce the desired polymer are acquired separately and mixed together and then subjected to a polymerization reaction. However, this conventional process has a number of shortcomings. First, there is the potential to waste a great deal of time using trial-and-error techniques trying to determine the proper ratio of individual components needed to produce a polymer having optimum properties. Second, the act of measuring individual components and mixing the components together at a reaction vessel increases the likelihood of operator error, which can lead to an improper weighing of any one of the individual components, an improper molar ratio of individual components, inconsistency of polymer composition from batch-to-batch, and less than desirable resulting polymer.
What is needed in the art is a method of reducing the potential for operator error in the production of a desired polymer. What is also needed in the art is a method of reducing the variability in the end product during the production of a desired polymer. What is further needed in the art is a convenient method of producing a desired polymer without having to resort to a timely trial-and-error procedure.
The present invention addresses some of the difficulties and problems discussed above by the discovery of a method of making a desired polymer, wherein a polymer precursor composition is pre-packaged such that an operator pours the polymer precursor composition into a reaction vessel without having to weigh out individual components. The method of the present invention may be applicable for producing any polymer, which is produced from two or more polymer-producing components.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method of making a polymer, wherein the method comprises packaging a polymer precursor composition in a sealable container; transferring the polymer precursor composition from the sealable container to a reaction vessel; and polymerizing the polymer precursor composition. The method allows an operator to pour premeasured polymer-producing components into a reaction vessel for a batch process or a continuous process without having to weigh the individual components.
The present invention is also directed to a method of making a thermoformable article, wherein the method comprises transferring a polymer precursor composition from the sealable container to a reaction vessel; polymerizing the polymer precursor composition; and shaping the polymer.
The present invention is further directed to a method of doing business, wherein the method comprises the step of offering for sale a sealable container, which contains a polymer precursor composition.
The present invention is even further directed to an article of manufacture comprising a sealable container and a polymer precursor composition within the sealable container.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments and the appended claims.